All yachts must contact Bermuda Harbour Radio prior to arrival on VHF Channel 16 giving approximate time of arrival and any special requirements. The first contact should be attempted when 30 miles from the Island. The station is on call 24 hours on 2182 KHz, 4125 KHz, and VHF Channels 16 and 27.

A 24-hour radar watch is also kept and unidentified vessels are called up, especially if they approach too close to the reef. The radio station will direct a yacht where to berth and how to proceed for clearance.

On Arrival

All vessels must proceed to St. George’s Harbour for clearance.

The Q flag must be flown. Yachts entering between the hours of 24:00 and 08:00 will be directed by Bermuda Harbour Radio to anchor in Powder Hole, in the south-eastern section of St. George’s Harbour. Vessels must remain within this quarantine zone until 08:00, and are then required to proceed to the clearance facility for the completion of formalities.

St George's is entered through the Town Cut channel. Yachts stopping elsewhere will be escorted to St George's and may be fined by Customs. After clearance yachts may then proceed to Hamilton or elsewhere in the archipelago.

The Customs dock is located on the Northeast corner of Ordnance Island. Yachts must be moored in front of the Customs building for clearing both in and out. It is unlikely you will offered help with your lines. Note: There are no cleats, just posts, so be prepared with bowlines on your warps.

The captain should have a copy of the pre-arrival form ready and the completed declaration of health form. Latest reports are that consumable stores list and crew lists are no longer asked for.

The Customs boarding officer, who normally carries out clearance for all three departments, brings all documents required for clearance on board. The officer will also collect a passenger tax of $35 USD from each person on board.

Customs normally monitor VHF Channel 68.

Last updated May 2018.

St. George Yacht Reporting Center

3 Ordinance Island, St George's

Tel:+1 441-297-1247
Fax:+1 441-297-1226

Immigration

All visitors must hold a valid, machine readable passport (including US nationals).

These are obtainable from a British embassy or consulate. Visas are valid three months from date of issue. However, recent changes now allow yacht crews with a machine-readable passport and a multi re-entry visa (MVR) for the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom, to apply by email for a visa waiver in advance of arrival. An application letter should be sent to the Compliance Section, Department of Border Control, slambert@gov.bm or knswan@gov.bm together with copies of the passport data page and the MRV.

Visas are not required if any of the above are permanent residents of the UK, USA or Canada.

The initial maximum period of stay was increased on June 1st 2011, from 21 days to 90 days for visiting yachts and their crews.

Extensions for up to a further 90 days (for during the hurricane season for example) will also be permitted on application to the Department of Immigration in Hamilton (Tel. +1 441 295 5151). For extensions, crew members will not only need to provide proof of citizenship but also the means to repatriate themselves by air. They will also need prove they are covered by health insurance and make a declaration that they will not seek or take up employment in Bermuda.

Persons who require visas to enter other countries they are sailing to after Bermuda, must already have them. This applies particularly to yachts leaving Bermuda for the USA.

All visitors arriving by air are required to show a return air ticket. To avoid this for crew members arriving or leaving by air on one-way tickets, the captain or owner of a yacht must write to the Chief Immigration Officer, Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, POB HM 1364, Hamilton HM-FX (Tel. 295-5151) well in advance giving the name, address and nationality of any crew member, also details of the airline, flight number and date of arrival plus monies for the landing permit. The latter will be sent to the captain and it permits the purchase of a one-way ticket (otherwise travel agents or airlines will not issue one). The permit must be shown on entry. If time is short, the captain can telephone with the crew details. In such cases the crew may have to buy a return ticket, but once the permit is issued, one can get a validation from the Chief Immigration Officer to allow a refund to be obtained.

When arriving by yacht and leaving by air, crew must have written proof from the owner or captain of their means of departure. The responsibility to ensure that such crew leave the island rests with the captain.

Last updated April 2017.

Customs

All firearms and ammunition must be declared on arrival to the Customs officer, who will either impound them until departure or seal them on board. Firearms include spear guns, Verey pistols and flare guns.

All medically prescribed drugs and medications must be declared on arrival.

Fruit and vegetables from other countries are prohibited imports so must stay on the boat.

Yachts can stay up to six months, after which time Customs will impose a duty of 33.5 per cent on the yacht's value. However, under special circumstances, the Collector of Customs may grant limited extensions if, for example, the yacht required or was undergoing repairs, if there were weather delays, injured or sick crew members or, indeed, for any other reason that the Collector of Customs considered valid.

Health

Medical facilities are good but insurance is essential as treatment is expensive.

Fees

There is a passenger tax of $35 USD for each person on board.

The fee for an extended stay of up to 3 months cost $250 per person. You will need to provide:

Proof of citizenship

Financial means to repatriate yourself by air (if required)

Proof of health insurance

A declaration not to seek or take up employment in Bermuda

An extension for a further 3 months costs $100.

Last updated May 2018.

Restrictions

Berthing for yachts is prohibited at all commercial docks in Hamilton and St. George’s, except in an emergency.

No spearfishing is permitted within one mile of any shore. Outside the one-mile area, only Hawaiian sling-type devices may be used when free diving. Spear fishing with scuba gear is not permitted. Spear guns may not be used in Bermuda or imported at any time.

All firearms must be declared and will be stored ashore until departure.

All yachts should be fitted with either holding tanks to contain sewage for discharge in waters outside the outer reef edge or have U.S. Coast Guard-approved marine sanitation devices aboard. However, wherever possible, onshore sanitation facilities should be utilized. The discharge overboard of sewage, or any other pollutant within the 12 mile Bermuda Territorial Limit,
is an offence, and offenders will be prosecuted.

Yachts must adhere strictly to berthing instructions on arrival and should not proceed to any berth or anchorage unless directed to do so by Harbour Radio or the Harbour Master. Boats wishing to shift berth or sail must receive prior clearance as above.

Pets

All animals (this includes birds and fish) arriving in Bermuda are required to be accompanied by health documents as well as an Import Permit issued by the Bermuda Department of Environmental Protection in advance. See here for the application forms. They are also available from any Bermuda tourist office. Animals arriving without proper documentation will be refused entry and will be returned to the point of origin at the owner’s expense, as there are no quarantine facilities in Bermuda.

As of November 2017, we were not asked to provide a consumable stores list or crew list. All food is ok so long as it stays on the boat. Do bring the completed Declaration of Health form with you (or complete it in the office). All crew need to come into the office and complete a customs form and present their passport.

JGuste
says:

Nov 05, 2015 04:32 PM

Normally most countries require an outgoing clearance document from last port of call. If you leave Bahamas bound for Bermuda Customs and immigration in i.e. Nassau charged us 75 USD for a outgoing clearance. When we arrived to St Georges harbour on Bermuda for clearance the officers said the Cruising Permit from Bahamas had been good enough as outgoing document from Bahamas. So lesson learned is to skip a special outgoing document from Customs and immigration in Nassau and save 75 USD.

Sue Richards
says:

Jul 15, 2014 11:33 AM

The cost for clearing into Bermuda is $35 per person. It's possible Martyn was incorrectly charged last year as he had 4 people on board then, however the cost this year is correct.

Martyn Williams
says:

Jul 14, 2014 12:18 PM

The cost of clearing in to Bermuda is now $140 for a sailing yacht with 4 people on board.
(Last year it was $35!)

Jim Rolt
says:

May 17, 2014 07:30 PM

The Yacht Centre on Ordnance Island now offers free wifi to all yachtsmen in or outside their office.
You can get 5% discount at the supermarket by stating that you are on a boat.